How does Andy identify with a tiger in Tears of a Tiger?

Andy identifies with a tiger after Monty draws one in class. The tiger in the picture is crying, which neatly expresses how Andy feels inside after the auto accident that claimed the life of his best friend Robbie.
Andy also identifies with tigers as he feels trapped, like a caged animal in a zoo. He muses on the fact that tigers in this day and age are no longer roaming freely around the jungle, but confined to concrete cages with steel bars. The tiger in captivity is reminded from an early age that it can never escape no matter how much it wants to. That's how Andy feels about his condition. His depression over the fatal accident has taken over his life to such an extent that he can't see a way to escape it. Andy is confined by his depression as much as a tiger in a zoo is confined by its cage.